Chapter 18B

Section 1. There shall be a department of children and families, in this chapter called the department.

Section 10. The commissioner may appoint a member of the Massachusetts bar a legal counsel who shall be placed in grade 30 of the classification and pay scale of the commonwealth. Said legal counsel shall devote full time to the duties of the office. The commissioner may also, su…

Section 11. The commissioner may, subject to appropriation, establish regional offices at such locations in the commonwealth as may be deemed necessary to ensure the development and maintenance of effective administration in the provision of social services therein. The commissio…

Section 12. The commissioner, with the advice of the area board, shall appoint an area director in each area, and, subject to appropriation, such other employees as the commissioner may deem necessary. Each area director shall be qualified by training and experience to perform th…

Section 13. In each area established under section 3, there shall be a children and families area board, in this chapter called the area board, which shall be an agency of the commonwealth and shall serve in the department. The area board shall consist of 23 members, who shall be…

Section 14. To facilitate the appointment of the members of the area board, the commissioner shall appoint in each area a selection committee of seven members, who shall be residents of or workers in the area, and who shall be interested in and knowledgeable about social services…

Section 15. The area board shall have the following duties and powers: (a) to act as the representative of the citizens of the area; (b) to advise regarding local needs and resources in the development of comprehensive social services for children and families; (c) to advise in t…

Section 16. There shall be a statewide advisory council which shall consist of one member from each area board, elected by the members thereof, to serve for a term of one year. Said council shall advise the commissioner in matters of statewide interest relating to the delivery of…

Section 17. The department may establish centers for children and families in any facility owned or rented by the commonwealth other than state schools, hospitals or prisons, in any area if space is available or suitable for the purpose and shall, if feasible, locate these center…

Section 18. The commissioner may receive funds in trust for the use of children born out of wedlock or other persons under the care or supervision of the department. The commissioner shall deposit such funds in savings banks in the commonwealth or in savings accounts in trust com…

Section 19. Annually on or before November thirtieth, the commissioner shall pay to the state treasurer all unclaimed money held by the department for the benefit of any former ward of the department whose whereabouts is then unknown and has been unknown for seven years subsequen…

Section 2. The department shall provide and administer a comprehensive child welfare program for children and families, including the following services:— (1) casework or counseling, including services to families, foster families or individuals; (2) protective services for child…

Section 20. Notwithstanding section 22 of chapter 29 or any other law, funds made available by appropriation or otherwise for enabling the department to carry out the provisions of this chapter may be advanced to the department in such sums and subject to such rules and regulatio…

Section 21. The department shall establish an adoption subsidy program for the purpose of facilitating the adoption of children with special needs who are in substitute care and who would not otherwise be placed in an appropriate adoptive home or be adopted. The department acting…

Section 22. As used in this section, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the following terms shall have the following meanings: ''Adoption assistance state'', the state that is a signatory to an adoption assistance agreement in a particular case. ''State'', a state of …

Section 23. The commissioner shall report annually on September 1 on the number of children placed in residential care by region and the cost of care and treatment provided to those children. The information reported for each region shall include, but not be limited to: (i) the a…

Section 24. The commissioner shall report semi-annually on: (i) the status of high-risk children and the department's efforts to identify such children and address their needs for child protection; (ii) the status of racial disproportionality and disparity of the department's cli…

Section 25. In addition to the immediate notification required under subsection (n) of section 7, the commissioner shall report quarterly on the total number of cases of multiple 51A reports reviewed by the department under subsection (r) of section 51B of chapter 119, the types …

Section 3. (a) The department shall provide comprehensive, area-based child welfare services. These services shall be organized by regions and areas consistent with those established by the secretary of health and human services under section 16 of chapter 6A. (b) In order that t…

Section 4. Subject to appropriation, services of the department shall not be denied to any person because of such person's financial assets or income; provided, however, that the department shall establish a schedule of fees for services which may vary with the ability of the rec…

Section 5. The department shall make provision for such social services as are required under Title XX and Title IV B of the Social Security Act and the regulations established thereunder and shall provide such additional services as the general court may determine. In order to a…

Section 6. The department shall be under the direction, supervision and control of the commissioner of children and families, in this chapter called the commissioner, who shall be appointed by the secretary of health and human services, with the approval of the governor, and who …

Section 6A. The commissioner shall appoint a foster care review director who shall establish an independent foster care review unit within the department. The director shall appoint, subject to the approval of the commissioner, the members of the unit who shall be employees of th…

Section 7. (a) The commissioner shall establish reasonable caseload rates and shall report these caseload rates to the general court in the budget estimates of the department. (b) The commissioner shall develop and implement a management information system that shall contain fisc…

Section 8. The commissioner shall appoint and may remove a deputy commissioner. The position of deputy commissioner shall be classified under section 45 of chapter 30 and the salary shall be determined under section 46C of said chapter 30. The deputy commissioner shall have the s…

Section 9. The commissioner may appoint and remove such assistant commissioners as the commissioner shall from time to time determine, not to exceed four in number, who shall be assigned to areas of responsibility to be specified by the commissioner. Each assistant commissioner s…